One Boy and His Pokemon
by EighthDay
Summary: My first fnfiction  for Pokemon and for everything else . I hope I did OK. OC story set in Hoenn. Boy sets of on a journey. I am new, vut i know I suck at summaries. The title was meant to be a pun, but i can't use brackets in it. :


**This is my first fanfiction (as it said in the summary). I hope you enjoy it, and please don't flame (although constructive critsism is welcomed).**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Pokemon, would I be writing fanfics?**

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><p><em>Beep beep beep<em> went my alarm, although it sounds worse than it reads (if that makes any sense). I forced my eyes open and gave up, letting them close gently. BEEP my alarm wailed. I quickly punched it off my bed side table and woke up (yes, the punching is a daily routine). I decided to lie in bed for a few minutes and listen to a tailow that was twittering near my window. It was a pleasant sound. After five minutes it was getting dull. After ten minutes I got out of bed intent on silencing it. One quick rude word and a middle-fingered salute later the tailow twittered no more.

Wait you never got my name did you? OK, this is awkward… intro time! My name is Bond, James Bond (not really), my name is Rio (pronounced like the city) Barkley. Further details include: Gender: Male, age: 14, Height: irrelevant. So any way I was getting dressed in my usual outfit. It was a practical (if unfashionable) pair of blue jeans, plain white t-shirt with a grey jacket on top. I wore no hat what so ever to hide my short, spikey black hair. I really don't understand why so many protagonists have to wear hats and other forms of head wear; all that happens to them is they do is get lost to create fillers. Did I just break the fourth wall?

Great, I was distracted again. I do that a lot. So where was I, woke up, scared bird, dressed…OK so then I headed downstairs where I could hear my aunt working in the kitchen. Aunt you ask? Why not mother you wonder? Both my parents are still alive before you get all sympathetic. They live in Johto because my dad has a job there. There will be more on that later. So I rush down the stairs and nearly kill my uncle who is also heading downstairs (but much slower). Instead of telling me of for almost pushing him down the remaining flights he just laughed and called me an "energetic whippersnapper" (no idea either). After apologizing I continued at a less suicidal pace. A word on my uncle: he is middle-aged, slightly balding and greying, slightly plump and pretty much slightly everything. But he isn't demanding nor does he expect that much of me, just as long as I stay within a certain level of troublesomeness (new word?).

We entered the kitchen and were immediately greeted by the amazing sight of my aunt with pancakes (the pancake bit is what was amazing, not my aunt). My aunt looks like an aunt (I'm sick of describing stuff right now so that's what you're getting).

"Dig in boys," she told us. And you bet we did.

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><p>After breakfast and breakfast conversation (boring) I waved good-bye to my aunt and uncle and set off towards Professor Birch's lab. Yes clever reader, therefore I am in Littleroot Town, Hoenn. I have a sort of job there working as an assistant. My dad used to do it but he got the lucrative offer to work at Professor <em>Elm's <em>lab, which apparently had a better pay. So he accepted on the grounds that I stayed here in Littleroot and looked after all his old tasks. Was that irresponsible of him? Hell no, I learned a ton about Pokémon and became much more independent etc. One day I'll probably join them over there in Johto, but not today. Today would be normal and normal, plain and simple (foreshadowing? Hell yeah!).

Little did I know that it wouldn't be normal, or normal for that matter. I walked through Littleroot without much interest. The place was small and lovely but once you have lived there for 14 years it gets kind of old. So I approached the lab which was easily the largest building in town and located on the outskirts of town. It was made from white and brown bricks and sort of looked like a, well, like a lab. I entered stage left (through the door labeled "Staff only") and for the second time that day I almost killed someone. The door swung inwards and sent a little boy flying backwards (well more staggering backwards). I immediately helped him back up only to find that he was holding a PokeBall in a very "come at me bro" kind of way. I briefly took in a few irrelevant details about him. He was short, looked young, ten if he was a beginner trainer. He had thick, black hair (quite nicely combed to), wore thick glasses and was dressed in a green shirt and beige shorts. Honestly its simplicity put me to shame. Anyway, I didn't hesitate to start apologizing.

"Sorry kid, no need to get mad!" I insisted.

The boy glared and said in that nasally voice that little guys perfect, "You want to taste my Treekco's pound punk?"

I waved my arms in what I hope was a placating gesture "Not at all. And again sorry I didn't see you there!"

The kid lowered his ball and returned it to his waist. "OK I guess," he said

"Did you just get that Pokémon?" I asked. OK I was jealous, I had never been allowed to journey on account of my lab duties.

The boy grinned proudly. "Yup," he declared. "By the way my name is Max, Max Maple." Like I cared, but still, it was best to be polite.

"Rio Barkley" I replied.

"Do you work here?"

"Yup"

"Bummer"

"Yup…wait why bummer?" I said, confused.

"'Cause you can't travel. I mean, I journeyed with my sister and friends years ago and you're like 3 years older than me and you're still stuck here." I didn't correct him on his maths, because I was four years ahead so I would have looked lamer.

"Well whatever," I said. "Good look with your journey, adios." I continued into the lab.

"Bye" He waved cheerfully and skipped (yes skipped) out of the "Staff only" door. Kids these days, they have no respect for authority.

Muttering insults against all things small and irritating I got on with the morning's work. The tasks included cleaning lab equipment, making cups of coffee and feeding various Pokémon. I will say no more. Do you need details on the guy I work for? OK, he is quiet old, but his messy brown hair has yet to grey. He wears a lab coat over his shirt and a pair of camouflage shorts underneath (please don't ask). His face is kind of good looking for an older guy, with a strong jaw, brown eyes and an expression that changes from deep thought to bemusement often. I think my stomping must have gotten to Birch eventually because he eventual stood up and asked exasperatedly.

"For Arceus's sake, what's the matter Rio?" He demanded.

"I am just depressed about my future and about how my life is hopelessly descending into monotony and boredom," I explained.

"OK if that's all," he said, returning to his work. "Wait what?" He asked, looking up again. "Rio, I know you want to travel but I need your help here," He broke off again, and then he appeared to have a light bulb moment. "Rio, don't ask questions. Just follow me." He walked out of the lab and into his private room. What could I do but keep quiet and follow?

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><p>So, here I was in the inner sanctum, the lion's den and the big cheese's office; in all honesty I had seen cleaner attics. The place was a mess. The desk was cluttered with books, files and all manner of papery thingamajigs, the floor was likewise covered. A laptop buzzed to itself an <em>another <em>desk (two desks, one bloke? What gives?) Alongside a half-eaten sitrus berry muffin.

"Can humans eat that?" I asked, pointing to the muffin.

"Of course," replied Birch, as he took a large bite. "Now take a seat," he instructed, pointing to a chair occupied by a very faded lab coat. OK, the _white _coat had faded; it must have belonged to great-grandfather birch or something. I relocated it to a nearby hanger (where it promptly disintegrated, but that's irrelevant) and took my seat.

"So…" I drummed my fingers. "What's up Doc?" I quipped. Unsurprisingly my middle-aged employer didn't get the reference.

"I am a professor, not a Doctor," He said, confused. "It's no matter. I have a plan."

"Brill," I said. There was silence. "This is the part where you elaborate," I explained.

"Oh, right," He laughed. "So I was thinking-"

"Yeah I do that to; we have so much in common!" I burst out. He glared at me. OK, so it was a bit rude to interrupt, but I was still down in the dumps. After I apologized, he continued.

"Maybe this will grab your attention. I was thinking of a way to let you travel around Hoenn, and yet still work for me." OK my attention was officially grabbed, hook, line and sinker.

"YES! Thank you Birch, whose first name I don't know!" I danced for a bit, sort of like a moonwalking and breakdancing hybrid. When I was done, Birch blinked.

"OK, never dance like that again," He ordered.

"Yes boss," I saluted. "So when do I leave? What do I pack? What do I do for you while I travel? Do I get a Mudkip?" I gushed.

"Erm, ASAP, what you like, complete Pokedex and no," he said.

"Wait, I don't get a Mudkip? What about Treecko?" Shake. "Torchic?" Shake. "What gives?" I asked.

"Sorry Rio. I can't give you a regular starter if you want to leave this side of Christmas. You will have to find your own Pokémon, OUTSIDE." He exaggerated the last word. I was his best field worker. What the heck did he mean? I _loved _the outside.

"Why not this side of Christmas? Is it because the post office is so bus sending letters from twerps to Santa?" I asked.

"Twerps? Hey! I still send letters to Santa!" Birch cried (what's the phrase? Too much information?). "Anyway, no it's just that they take a while to train to the right balance of youth and maturity for younger trainers and we don't have any with us right now. So like I said you'll have to find your own Pokémon."

"Roger, roger," I said, with another salute and marched outside, towards my destiny!

"RIO!" Birch yelled. I turned. "Are you a boy or a girl?"

"What?" I asked, puzzlement covering my face.

"Nevermind," Birch said and returned to his laptop.

Confused, I continued towards my DESTINY!

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><p>I think my destiny was on vacation, because what I had found amounted to zero, zilch and nada. Not even a zigzagoon in sight. I would have even settled for the troublesome tailow form earlier (yes I was that desperate). I eventually gave up and sat on a conveniently placed rock.<p>

"Great, just great," I muttered. "Not a single Pokémon, not across the river or behind any tree and certainly not on top of any of the mountains." I hadn't searched the mountains, but I was depressed, so therefore there weren't any there. Clear? Leaning backwards (hard to do on a rock I can tell you) I stretched my arms towards the sky, yawned for no reason and- WHAM. Something hit me in the face and the unknown object and I went sprawling (if it could sprawl that is).

"Ow," I said. OK, I said stronger things than just "Ow", but you never know who might read this.

"Pom," Said the UO.

"You said it mate. Wait, you talk?" I yelped, with all four limbs scrambling to get me upright. I looked around for my assaulter but only saw grass, trees and my friendly neighbourhood rock.

"OK, where are you?" I demanded. I did a 360 and still saw nothing of interest.

"Ai ai ai," continued the voice. I decided it was a Pokémon, as only they had such a limited vocabulary. Suddenly, I became aware of a pressure on my head, and it wasn't a stereotyped protagonist hat. I looked up and found myself staring right into the face of a small purple monkey, its hand like tail wrapped around my neck in a non-threatening manner and it grinned at me.

"Aipom," it cried, ecstatically. It was an Aipom, I decided.

"Well, hey little feller, how are you?" I crooned, scratching its head. Its expression was suddenly one of outrage and it flicked my nose with its tail's finger. "OW!" I moaned. "What was that for, man?" This seemed to annoy it more and it proceeded to flick other parts of my anatomy. If it wasn't for the fact that this was the first Pokémon that I had seen on my search, I might have legged it, but as it was I stayed put. Then it hit me, and not just the Aipom.

"You are a girl!" I yelled, standing up.

"Aipom, ai," Said the Aipom, excited at me finally having realized.

"OK, so you're female. Now, what the heck were you doing when you fell out of the sky?" I probed. By way of answering it bounced up and down several times and jabbered in its own Pokémonic language. It then proceeded to gesture with its limbs and tail in a way that told me that it had leaped of a rooftop. Either that or it was having a seizure. I decided on the former.

"OK, so you jumped of a roof?" I questioned, still trying to get my head around it. Aipom nodded. "Well, for the love of Arceus, why? " The Aipom paused for a moment then pointed at the sky with a confident "Ai." I looked up and saw that the sky now contained half a dozen wingulls which were swooping around, probably looking for lunch.

"You were trying to mimic a wingull?" Aipom nodded. "What is this?" I continued. "Mankey see mankey do?" This saying obviously offended the Aipom somehow, because it leapt up onto my shoulder (it had descended to ground level to do its gesturing) and proceeded to flick my nose, not gently either.

"OK, OK! Sorry, guess you prefer Aipom see Aipom do?" I yelped. This seemed to satisfy it and it dropped back down to the floor and held out its tail. It took me a few seconds to realize that I had to shake it. I bent down and awkwardly shook the little creature's tail. I then introduced myself (Rio Barkley, remember?).

After the formalities were over I decided to tell Aipom a bit more about myself. I mentioned Birch, Max, my aunt and uncle but mainly about my pending journey. At the mention of adventure Aipom leapt up and did a dance very similar to the one I had done earlier.

"Hey, you like adventure, huh?" I asked, leaning in. Aipom nodded eagerly. "Well I need a quest partner, and you would need a trainer if you wanted to journey," I rambled on. Aipom was now jigging and I felt like mimicking her. I had the best idea ever, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing.

"Well, see you," I said and turned to leave. Aipom made a noise of farewell and walked away. When we were about 20 paces apart we both turned and ran back towards each other. After a quick hug and a bit of spinning, we grinned at each other.

"I'll take that as a yes, right?" I smirked. Aipom did a somersault onto my head and looked down at me. She was nodding like a bobbly head. "OK," I yelled, and pointed towards the horizon. "On to adventure!" Aipom yelled with me and we began to run towards the forest at Littleroot's edge. Half way there, I stopped and looked back. "Oh yeah, I need to see the Professor, and my Aunt and Uncle for that matter, and get parental permission…," I glanced up at Aipom. "We got work to do mate." Aipom nodded again. We turned and headed back towards the Lab.

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><p><strong>OK, chapter 1 done. I hope I can keep writing this (depends on reviews)... It looked way longer in the word document...<strong>


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